Printer Driver PrintTicket Modular Architecture for Feature Extension

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in adding new print features to a PrintTicket in version 4 printer drivers, where the printer driver core section and print setup UI section operate independently, making it difficult to maintain consistency and requiring extensive manual modifications, leading to loss of added features during the conversion process.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves creating a PrintTicket with a defined area for adding print features by the printer driver core section, allowing the print setup UI section to incorporate additional information, which is then converted by the printer driver core section into a format interpretable by the print device, eliminating the need for core section modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the printer driver core section and print setup UI section operate independently in version 4 printer drivers, then the system architecture becomes more modular and maintainable, but adding new print features becomes difficult and requires extensive manual modifications to both sections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemodular architectureVSAvoidease of adding print features

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the PrintTicket into multiple independent XML elements, each representing a specific print feature. This segmentation allows each feature to be added, modified, or removed independently without affecting the overall structure, resolving the contradiction by enabling modular feature addition while maintaining architectural independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-defines the PrintTicket XML structure with standardized elements and attributes that can accommodate various print features. By establishing this preliminary framework, new features can be added by simply inserting appropriate XML elements without requiring extensive modifications to the printer driver core section, thus easing feature addition while maintaining modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual modifications are made to add print features in version 4 printer drivers, then new functionality can be implemented, but the modifications are lost during the conversion process between the two sections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenew print feature functionalityVSAvoidfeature preservation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the print setup UI section reads the PrintTicket XML, allows user modifications, and writes the updated XML back to the printer driver core section. This closed-loop feedback ensures that modifications made in the UI section are preserved and reflected in the core section, resolving the contradiction between adding new functionality and maintaining feature persistence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The PrintTicket XML serves as an intermediary data structure between the printer driver core section and the print setup UI section. This intermediary allows modifications to be made in the UI section and automatically transferred to the core section without loss, enabling new functionality while ensuring feature preservation through the mediating XML format.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the PrintTicket format is defined by the printer driver core section, then the core section has full control over print features, but the print setup UI section cannot easily add new features without modifying the core section

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol over print featuresVSAvoidease of adding new features

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the PrintTicket XML structure dynamic by allowing it to be modified at runtime by the print setup UI section. The XML can be extended with new elements and attributes as needed, enabling the system to adapt to new print features while maintaining the core section's control through the standardized XML framework. This resolves the contradiction by making the format both controlled and flexible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9304727B2Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and method of adding print feature to output of printer driver

Publication Date: 2016.04.05 ANSELL LTD

AI summary

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a printer driver. The printer driver causes the processor of a computing device to function as a printer driver core section and a print setup user interface section and causes these sections to perform the following processing. The processing includes: defining an area in a PrintTicket to create a first PrintTicket, by the printer driver core section; operating a display section of the computing device to display the print setup screen, and incorporating another PrintTicket into the area of the first PrintTicket to create a second PrintTicket, by the print setup user interface section, where the another PrintTicket includes a description of information about another print feature having been inputted on the print setup screen. The processing further includes converting the second PrintTicket into a third PrintTicket which can be interpreted by the print device, by the printer driver core section.